Ait Hichem Weaving

Ait Hichem is a village on the northern slopes below the Djurdjura whose weaving has been known across Algeria since the early twentieth century, when a workshop was set up to organise what was already a household craft. The weaving is done on vertical looms in wool, in geometric bands of red, black, white and ochre whose motifs are shared with Kabyle pottery and tattoo, producing carpets, blankets and hangings. Women work it, largely through cooperatives that also train younger weavers, and pieces can be bought directly. The village sits high with long views across the valleys, and the surrounding communes carry the same building pattern of tight houses along ridges.

What to look for

• Vertical loom weaving - the technique used in the village.
• Geometric wool patterns - motifs shared with Kabyle pottery and tattoo.
• Women's cooperatives - the organisation the craft now works through.
• Ridge villages and long views - the setting below the Djurdjura.

When to go

May to October for the mountain roads. Half a day. Cooperatives keep working hours and a call ahead is worthwhile. Winter snow can close the approach.

Practical notes

Imported machine-made carpets are sold as local work in markets; buy at the cooperative. Genuine hand weaving is expensive and slow to make. The village has minimal visitor facilities. Roads are narrow and steep.

Nearby

Ath Yenni is west; the Djurdjura rises south.